# InstantCheckmate

WHAT HAPPENED

In 2019, the public records search service Instant Checkmate suffered a data
breach that later came to light in early 2023
[https://www.instantcheckmate.com/security-incident-alert/]. 

The data included almost 12M unique customer email addresses, names, phone
numbers and passwords.


HOW TO STAY SAFE

 1. Go to https://app.instantcheckmate.com/l
    [https://app.instantcheckmate.com/l]

 2. Click “Login in“ in the top right-hand corner

 3. Click “Forgot password?“

 4. Enter your email

 5. Click “Send Password Reset Instructions“

 6. Open the email from Instant Checkmate and follow the link to set a new
    password.

Since this breach exposed email addresses and Social Security numbers, keep an
eye on your credit report, bank statements, and any unfamiliar account activity.

Also, be extra careful with emails, texts, or calls claiming to be from Instant
Checkmate. Scammers may use leaked details to make phishing messages look more
convincing.


WHY THIS BREACH MATTERS

Even though this breach happened back in 2019, leaked data doesn't just expire.
It keeps getting bought, sold, and reused by scammers. 

And even if you've never used this exact site before, your email may have still
ended up in it through a partner, data broker, or another service behind the
scenes. 

If you've ever reused this password anywhere else, it's worth taking a minute to
secure it now.